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Early postnatal injections of whole vaccines compared to placebo controls: Differential behavioural outcomes in mice
Housam Eidi1, Janice Yoo2, Suresh C Bairwa2
1Neural Dynamics Research Group, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; French agency for veterinary medicinal products (ANMV) - French agency for food, environmental and occupational health safety (ANSES), Fougères, France.
Insights
This study investigated the effects of pediatric vaccines on the central nervous system in mice. Vaccinated mice showed neurobehavioral abnormalities, suggesting potential sex-dependent and transient effects.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Immunology
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- The pediatric vaccination schedule is a critical public health intervention.
- Understanding potential impacts on neurodevelopment is essential.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effects of the US pediatric vaccination schedule on the central nervous system (CNS) in a murine model.
- To compare the impact of whole vaccines versus placebo control.
Main Methods:
- Seventy-six pups were divided into vaccinated and unvaccinated control groups.
- Vaccinated groups received one or three times the vaccine dose relative to body weight, mimicking human infant and child dosages.
- Evaluated post-vaccination development, neuromotor behaviors, and neurobehavioral abnormalities (NBAs) over 67 weeks.
Main Results:
- Vaccinated females showed altered body weight compared to males and controls.
- NBAs, including decreased sociability, increased anxiety, and altered visual-spatial learning/memory, were observed in vaccinated mice.
- Vaccinated females exhibited slower acquisition of neonatal reflexes compared to males and controls.
Conclusions:
- Neurodevelopmental alterations observed were sex-dependent and transient.
- A non-linear dose-response relationship was noted, suggesting a saturated response even with a single dose.
- These findings highlight the need for continued research into vaccine effects on neurodevelopment.
Abstract:
The present study was designed to evaluate the possible effects of the paediatric vaccination schedule in the United States on the central nervous system in a murine model. We compared the impact of treatment with the whole vaccines versus true placebo control. Seventy-six pups were divided into three groups: two vaccinated groups and unvaccinated control. The two vaccinated groups were treated between 7 and 21 post-natal days either with one or three times of the vaccine doses per body weight as used in children between newborn and eighteen months of age. The post-vaccination development, neuromotor behaviours and neurobehavioural abnormalities (NBAs) were evaluated in all mouse groups during the 67 post-natal weeks of mouse age. Mouse body weight was affected only in the vaccinated females compared to males and control. Some NBAs such as decreased sociability, increased anxiety-like behaviours, and alteration of visual-spatial learning and memory were observed in vaccinated male and female mice compared to controls. The present study also shows a slower acquisition of some neonatal reflexes in vaccinated female mice compared to vaccinated males and controls. The observed neurodevelopmental alterations did not show a linear relationship with vaccine dose, suggesting that the single dose gave a saturated response. The outcomes seemed to be sex-dependent and transient with age.
